Code of compliance.

At last we have our code of compliance.We have been living in our new house since early November and after lots of hicups at last we have our CoC.
Pictures tomorrow.

Well done you!

Following on from this and Pumpkingirl's saga about Code Compliance Certificates, hubby was reading me this last night from a Dept of Building and Housing newsletter:

"Contrary to common belief, the building consent does not lapse after two years, nor is there a legal obligation for owners to complete the building work" [:0].

So if anyone's council tries to pressure them at the end of the two year period, quote them that!! [}]

Having said that, once you have completed the building work under the building consent you must then apply for a CCC, and once you apply for a CCC, if they require further work, they can then put a required timeframe on that work, as PG found out []

We are still faffing around finishing the bits and pieces we need to get ours, nearly done - one thing to go, spraying the bolts on the piles with some such thing....

I think that most Councils won't let a BC go on and on, as they have some legal obligation with respect of the work that lasts 10 years and starts once the CCC is issued. Mind you it's all getting a whole lot harder from what I hear about the new rules and regs - as if we didn't have enough already.

I believe if you want to do it, do it now before they change the [email protected]#!$%$#y rules

Congratulations Kalnetta. I know I was relieved to have mine out of the way, even though there was nothing really to be done - just that nagging 'what if they come up with something else' feeling.

My council (great communicators of accurate information that they are[}]) have told me now on multiple occasions that under the new rules they can set their own limits, once the two year mark is passed.

So while they were happy to give me an extra "month or two" they certainly made it clear they would not permit an extra year (for argument's sake), and that the new rules made it clear it was up to them to make that decision. They also said they would not permit "temporary" COCs, where they have in the past.

In contrast, the Waikato District Council gave the man building the Earthship a 3 year building consent and have told him he can have more time if he needs it.

Some consistency and some compassion for people's situation would be useful.

Interestingly, there is a review process where you can challenge a council's decisions, and it would seem a lot of them are from people who have had building consents going on for years and years, and then having major problems getting a COC. In one case (a local house too by coincidence) the owner fought them over granting of a COC (it had been rejected) and they outlined the whole case. It was so murky and so "he said, she said" that you could see why the council would have turned it down, even though the work may have been of an ok standard.

Pumpkingirl! Councils and compassion; not 2 things that go together:; seemingly!;

quote:Originally posted by kalnetta

At last we have our code of compliance.We have been living in our new house since early November and after lots of hicups at last we have our CoC.
Pictures tomorrow.

Huge congrats, by the way!

congrats must feel just so great

mm have to agree also commonsence I think

quote:Originally posted by Pumpkingirl

Interestingly, there is a review process where you can challenge a council's decisions...

This is called a "Determination" and you have to apply to the Department of Building & Housing to get the process started. There is a fixed fee of $281.25 incl. GST.

How do I know this?

We have been through 2 determinations now, and I'm hoping that a 3rd won't be necessary []

Final inspection is booked for Feb 27. Wish us luck!

Ooh on my birthday! Good luck!

quote:Originally posted by GrantK

quote:Originally posted by Pumpkingirl

Interestingly, there is a review process where you can challenge a council's decisions...

This is called a "Determination" and you have to apply to the Department of Building & Housing to get the process started. There is a fixed fee of $281.25 incl. GST.

How do I know this?

We have been through 2 determinations now, and I'm hoping that a 3rd won't be necessary []

Final inspection is booked for Feb 27. Wish us luck!

Wow, you're very determined Grant! Sometimes I wonder if they put all these hurdles in the way (for example, differing interpretations of rules) and hope that people like us will give up and go away.. it's nice to know that someone is striking back and using everything they're entitled to!

quote:Originally posted by Pumpkingirl

Wow, you're very determined Grant! Sometimes I wonder if they put all these hurdles in the way (for example, differing interpretations of rules) and hope that people like us will give up and go away..

Illegitimi non carborundum as they say []

I am 100% certain that the councils try and frighten people out of standing up for their rights. Having received a "Notice to Fix" at 7 in the morning from a courier driver banging on our door with a Registered Letter demanding that we sign for it, is NOT a pleasant experience [:0]

And then they threaten you with fines "not exceeding $20,000 per day that the work continues"... It's all very heavy-handed and totally unnecessary in cases like ours where we are just arguing about ground clearances, control joints and other trivial things.

quote:Originally posted by Pumpkingirl

...it's nice to know that someone is striking back and using everything they're entitled to!

YOU BET!!! [}] [}] [}]

I am determined to make them back down and issue our CoC eventually, even if it means another determination. The Council really have nowhere left to run on our case now. All alleged defects have either been remedied to their satisfaction, or ruled invalid by the DBH.

Fingers crossed for the 27th [^]

I think that's brilliant Grant. When I think about it, I do get 99% of what I want pretty easily, but it's always the things that you fight for hardest that make the best inspiring stories and give you the most satisfaction.

May the force be with you:D for the 27th!